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Understanding the Water Cycle

Click to go to Interactive Infograhic

USGS  Water Cycle Interactive Infographic  

Do we have unlimited freshwater?

No, we don't. Of all the water that you find on Earth, only 2.5% is fresh water and most of that is locked up in ice or in the ground. Only 1.2% of all freshwater is surface water which is considered “drinkable.”

Where do we get our drinking water from?

Most of our drinking water comes from the Biscayne Aquifer. The Aquifer is an underground geologic formation (like porous limestone) where water is stored, extending from a few feet below the ground to approximately 200 feet below the ground surface. The Floridan Aquifer lies well below the Biscayne aquifer at approximately 1,000 to 2,000 feet below the ground surface. That’s deeper than the Empire State Building is tall (at 1,250 feet)!

The water is pumped from the aquifer to the land surface at wellfield sites and is transported to our water treatment plants with an underground pipeline where it is treated, stored and distributed to the public.

Why is it important to conserve water and not waste it?

The water that flows out of your tap has been treated by one of our water treatment plants so that you can use it for drinking, cooking, cleaning and showering. Treating water costs time, energy, manpower and money. It requires a lot of electricity. If everybody would be wise with water and not waste it when it comes out of the tap, the water treatment plants, could treat less water. This would help save money, electricity and the environment. See our tips for Saving Water at Home

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